Liquid-filling machine



April 5, 1932. E. J. JUDGE 4 1,852,308

L1QU1D-F1LL1NG MACHINE Filed April 9. 19,29 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 /V Arromx/Eyf.

` April 5, 1932. l

E. J. JUDGE 1,852,308

LIQUID FILLING MAGHNE Filed April 9, 1929 4 sheets-sheet 2 ILIII l April 5,1932. v E, 1 JUDGE 4 1,852,308

LIQUID FILLING MACHINE l Filed April 9, 1929 4 Sheets-sheet vs pril 5, 1932. E. .1. JUDGE 1,852,308

'LIQUID FILLING MACHINE Filed April 9. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /lrroR/VEXS.

Patented Apr. 5, 1932 EDWARD J. JUDGE, 0F ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA LIQUID-FILLING- MACHINE Applcation led April 9,

My invention relates to the canning art, and has to do particularly with machines for supplying containers with such liquid content as may be called for.

lor the sake ot simplicity, I shall herein consistently refer to my invention in terms ot syruping, though it is to be understood that` it is equally applicable to and includes supplying containers with other preserving, le Havering and condiment liquids.

In the syruping art, the practice is to convey a continuous procession of unsealed comestible-containing cans on the way to the exhaust boX or, as it is termed, the first cook,

1;, to and through the sphere ot action of an apparatus drawing upon a source of syrup and delivering it to each can. According to the nature and requirements of the comestible,

. the strength or grade of the syrup is varied,

fu and this is usually done by the separate preparatiou ot each grade, storing it separately and supplying it as such grade to the Jfull capacity of the can. The time and labor lost in such procedure and other disadvantages e.: has led to a method of preparing initially a single strength or grade of syrup, concentrated to a degree above any normal requirement; supplying this concentrated syrup to the cans in predetermined relatively small a volume; and subsequently supplying the cans with water in order to reduce or dilute the concentrated syrup to the strength or grade required.

The advantages claimed for this method need not herein be set forth in any greater' detail. than to call attention to the outstanding' feature ot the initial preparation, storing and handling of a single grade of syrup, instead ot several grades. Reference may if he had. however, for a complete distinction ol this method to Letters Patent- No. 'l ,-(Stlffl'fl granted to me as assignee of Peirce Cutler, September 4th, 1928, for filling containers with preserving, lavoring and condit ment liquids.

1929. serian No. 353,877.

My invention herein has for its object the provision of a novel means for syruping adapted tor said method, in which a concentrated syrup is first supplied to the cans, y and is followed by a diluent adapted to reduce 50 Within the cans the concentrated syrup to the required grade.

To this end my invention consists in the novel apparatus hereinafter fully described by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. l is a side elevation partly in section of the syruper.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation enlarged 50 showing a modification of the circulating means for the syrup excess.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation showing another modilication of said excess syrup circulating means.

In these drawings I have illustrated my invention in its preferred forms, but it is to be understood that `changes may be made in i details of structure, arrangement and combination without departing from the spirit of the invention as deiined by the claims hereunto appended.

In a suitable stand A is mounted for rotation a shaft 7 upon the upper end of which is carried a turret comprising a table 28, having an annular series ot spaced measuring oups 2 each of which is controlled with respect to its discharge7 by means of a vertically movable tubular valve 18 seated in and through the bottom of the cup and projecting below the table 28. The valve 18 has a flanged head 18 coacting with the cup bottom to support it when closed. It has also discharge ports 19 immediately under its head; a foot dome 17 on its lower end; and a spring 2l to hold it normally closed.

The volume capacity of each cup is made variable, according to intention, by means of a vertically movable sleeve l fitted to it in such wise as, by its movement, to increase or 'lol diminish its depth. In the present case I have shown tiis capacity-varying sleeve 1, in its preferred form, as threaded upon the cup, and have also shown, as a means for simultaneously and uniformly adjusting the entire series of sleeves, an encircling sprocket chain 29 engaging a sprocket 1 on each sleeve, and adapted to be moved by a sprocket 10 hand operated or otherwise. The sprocket 10 is screw-threaded upon a post 30, to enable it to participate in the vertical movement of the encircling chain 29 and volume-capacity sleeves 1. It is to be understood, however, that any suitable. power transmitting. connections may be employed to adjust the sleeves. In convenient proximity to the adjusting sprocket 10 is a gauge standard 11, the scale on which indicates the changes in volume capacity Vof the measuring cups 2 as defined by the vertical movementvof the sleeves 1. The syrup is supplied from a tank 9 through a pipe 9 to a header 4 controlled by a shut-off cock 4. Radiating from the header 4 are several delivery vpipes 12 here shown as three, which lie vinan arc above the path of travel of the measuring cups 2, of suiiicient length to insure complete delivery to said cups as they pass .beneath them. Suspended from` the ...delivery pipes is an arcuate screen 5 having a. width about equal to the diameter of the measuring cups 2 and a length vgreater than the maximum separation of the trio of delivery pipes 12, said screen lying `below and receiving the syrup discharge from said pipes 12 and distributing it evenly, gently and without splash to the underlying cups 2 as the latter travel below. The screen is itted with a wiper 6 at one end (Fig. 1)

Ladapted to wipe 'off the syrup from the upp-er edges of the cups.

Below each foot dome 17 of the measuring-cup valves 18, in vertical line therewith7 is -a can-lifting base 14, which travels with .the turret.` These bases 14 have a vertical movement, due to their i'oll-er-vshod stems 14 traveling upon a fixed cam track 16, the contour of which is such as to lift a can resting Vupon said base 14 into upward-pressing .joint-relation with the foot dome 17 at and from the measuring `cup 2 down into the can; and, second, to allow the valve to close the discharge from the cup when its measured volume has passed out, and to free the can for its subsequent travel. Mounted on `the frame A of the apparatus is a conveying means to advance the procession of cans. In the foim here shown there are two conveyers of suitable type, one 13 with spaced cross flight 13 to receive and properly space t-he cans 31 for timing with the filling devices, and the other a. plain chain conveyer 24 to receive the cans from the said devices. The conveyer 18 moving in the direction from left to right approaches the path of and on a level with the lifting bases 14; and at a point immediately preceding its nearest approach to said path it passes under an overlying stripper guide 32 of a shape and in a position to switch the can from the conveyer over upon a timely passing lifting base 14; and said can is thereon received and centered by means of a V-shaped hold.

er 15. The turret table 28 rotates clockwise, so that the can resting upon the lifting base 14 is carried around to a corresponding Vpoint on the other side where lit `encounters an oppositely functioning stripper guide 34 which shifts it to and upon the second conveyer 24.

It will be seen, by reference to Fig. 1, that the table 28 is of a nature `to receive and to provide for the disposal vof vthe eX- cessof syrup discharged from the delivery pipes 12, meaning by excess the surplus over and above the volume which 1is delivered to the measuring cups. I shall .refer to this more at length hereinafter. The table 28 has -a rim 28 constituting it :a pan. The shaft 7 upon which it is mounted and by which -it is rotated is a tubular or hollow one opening from the table bottom and having a communicationat its footk with a pipe 8 lea-ding to a pump 8, .the discharge pipe 8 of which Vleads back into the syrup tank 9, a screen 35Fig. 2, being preferably located in the delivery of saidrpipe. A screen 36 is also .placed inthe communication between the tank 9 and the supply pipe 9.

Under the foot dome 17 of the valve 18, at a point beyond where rthecan is released, is rplaced a` drip trough 26, from which a pipe 26 .leads to a drip can 27, Fig. 1.

In the foot dome 17 is'made anair vent 20.

In the path of the syrup-illed cans after leaving the syruper -and above said cans is located the means `for supplying them with the necessary diluent, say water. This is indicated by the cock controlled pipe 22 which leads from a. source of water (not shown) and discharges 'through the pipes 22 upon awscreen 28 above the underlying traveling cans.

The adjacent ends of the two coiiveyers vl13 and 24 are carried by a. sprocket 24.

necessary to further decrease by displace.`

ment the capacity of the cup 9.. The operation of the machine is as follows The cans 31, previously supplied with the comestible being run, are carried by the` conveyer 13 in a continuous procession, to the syruper. The travel of the conveyer 13 and the rotation of the .turret-table 28 are properly timed, so that each can switched from the conveyer by the stripper guide 32 finds its corresponding lifting base 14 and steadying holder 15 ready to receive it.

The lifting base 14 now elevates the can to upward-pressing joint-contact with the foot dome 1T of the valve 18 so that said valve rising, opens communication with the previously filled measuring cup and the syrup therefrom passes down into the can. The can then proceeds around to the opposite side of its rotary path, near which point the lifting base 14 and the can having descended by gravity assisted by the spring 21, the valve 13 moves down and closes the cup 2.

Concentrated syrup from the supply tank 9 flows continuously through the supply pipe S', header 4 and delivery pipes 12 to and upon the screen 5, through which it passes in a fall, uniformly, gently and without splash, throughout a relatively long arc. The measuring cups '2 with closed valves pass through this arc of falling syrup, and receive their complement while the excess or surplus of the syrup, falling` upon the pan-like table 28, flows through the tubular shaft 7, pipe 8', pump 8 and pipe 8 to the supply tank 9. Thus the cups i). are filled to repletion, and the excess of syrup is taken care of cleanly and without waste.

The cans with their charge or modicum of s vrup now meet with the stripper guide 34 and are shifted from the bases 14 outwardly te and upon the conveyer Q4, and thence proceed to and pass through the zone of falling water from the screen 23. l/Vith this water, which primarily and until the later cooking operations, rests on top of the concentrated syrup without mixing, the cans are filled with their necessary liquid content, and any surplus, which will thus be water only.v can be disposed of in the usual ways, say, for instance, by tipping. Thus there will be no waste. The added water eventually dilutes the syrup to the required grade, a result flowing from the predetermined volume and strength of the syrup concentration. This is the method contemplated and disclosed by and in my patent hereinabove referred to. y This essential volume proportion of the concentrated syrup is, in my present machine,

rendered determinable for each comestible being run, by the variable capacity of the measuring cups 2, a change which can be readily made by raising or lowering the sleeves 1, the proper movement being read upon the gauge 11. Thus only a single syrup grade of a concentration suitable for subsef duent dilution to reduce it in the cans to the y required grade can be initially prepared and fedthrough the machine without regard to thecomestible being run, the different requirements of which being provided for by the variation in capacity of the measuring cups.` This variation does not interfere with the full measure to the cups, since they are, in all changes, supplied by passing through the fall of syrup in volume exceeding their maximum capacity. Herein'lies the essential step of the herein applicable novel method; and, further, by circulating the syrup excess, I not only avoid its loss, but also, especially when using the concentrate hot, keep the pipes clear of incrustation or deposits, since thereis no stoppage of operation such as is the case from the use of different grades of syrup according to the comestible being run. In the method herein there is but one grade, continuously flowing, and the pipes may be emptied once for all at the close of the runs of all comestibles.

Referring to Fig. 3 there is a modification, in that the turret table 28 has a central sump 23 from which the excess syrup is removed by an upwardly extending pipe 42. In Fig. 4 is shown another modification in that the table 28 slopes to a launder 44 around its periphery, said launder having an outlet 43, which it is to be understood, is included in the circulating system.

In practive I have found that the launder 44, as a means for collecting the excess of syrup from the turret table 2S and placing it in circulation, is the most practical and for that reason I prefer and use it.

In operation I find it ofgreat advantage to keep the circulating concentrate hot. This condition not only, as I have stated hereinbefore, keeps the pipes clear of incrustation or deposits, but also, for like reason, keeps the cup valves 18 from gumming or sticking. In order to provide for this heated condition of the syrup, I find it practicable toheat the table 28. In Fig. 1, I have shown for this purpose a steam jet 45 playing upon the bottom of the table.

I claim 1. A liquid-filling machine comprising a rotatable turret; a plurality of measuring cups carried by said turret; a sleeve threaded upon each of said cups adapted by its ad-` justment to vary the eups capacity; means for adjusting all of said sleeves in unison; i

means for supplying filling liquid to said cups; and means for placing successivecon- CTI.4

' top edges of the cups to level them tainers in communication with lsuccessi-ve cups.

2. In a liquid-'filling machine, the combination cfa conveyer for containers; a rotatiing table :a series of measuring cups-carried by the table; a sourceof liquid `having'a controllable outlet pipe; a plurality of radiating discharge terminals of said pipe, "their delivery ends lying above and vthroughout an -iarc ofthe path olf-said cups; afscreenlmember suspended from and lying beneath lsaid radiating discharge terminals -adaptedto distribute and to break the force of the 4liquid falling into the cups; a Wiper carried by the' I'end of the screen member-and-enfrafrinfr the oas they pass beyond `the lilling region; fmeans for catching the overiiow from said -cups and -returning it to its source; and vmeans li-or'plam A ing'the containers in communication with the cups.

8. In a liquid-lilling machine, the combination of a conveyer `for containers; -a rotating table; a series of measuring cups carried by the table; a source of liquid supply in cornmunication With said cups; lmeans `for 'catching upon the table an' overflow of liquid from said cups; means for.returninglsaidoverflow to the liquid source of supply; a steamfj'et Enozzle arranged to play uponithe table 'to heat it; and means for-placing the `containefrs in communication With the cups.

4. In a liquid-lling machine,l the combination of a conveyer for containers; a rotating'table; a series of measuring cups carried by the table; cup-controlling valves slidab'le through -said table; a source 'of'liquid supply incommunication With said cups; means for catching upon the tablean overfiowof liquid 'from said cups; means for returning said overflow to the liquid source ol supply; a steam-jet nozzle arranged to play upon the Y table to heat it; and means for placing the containers in communication Withthe cups.

5. In a liquid-lilling machine; the combination of a'series of measuring cups; Van adjustable capacity-:regulating sleeve E'threaded upon each cup; mea-ns for uniformly adjusting'all of `said sleeves in unison; means for Isupplying lilling liquid to said cups; and means for placing successive ycontainers in communication with successive Ycups.

6. In -a liquid-filling machine, .the combination of a series of. measuring cups.; an adjustable capacity-regulating sleeve .threaded upon each cup; power transmitting connections for uniformly adjusting j all of said sleeves in unison; .means for mounting said transmitting connections to conform with the adjustments of the sleeves; means for supplying filling liquid to said cups; and means for placing successive containers in communication with successive cups.

7 In a liquid-lilling machine, the combination of a series of measuring cupsg'an ad- 

